Sanitary telephone attachment



SePt- 9, 1947- R. l.. LEWIS 2,427,147

SANITARY TELEPHONE ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. 29, 1945 l RLLeufis.

INVENTOR TTORNEXS atentedV Sept. 9, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE sANrrARY TELEPHONE AcerAoHiviENr my L; Lewis, Atlanta, Ga.

Application August 29, 1945, No. 613,323

(ol. ite-1,85)

y 8' Claims. l. This invention is directed.. to a telephone attachment providing a ilter for the transmitter mouthpiece adapted to maintainthe mouthpiece germ free and otherwise santary.`

The general object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is reliable and durable, and which enables the filter element to be replaced quickly and easily.

Telephone mouthpiece filters for sanitary purposes have been known heretofore but have not been generally accepted, Unsightliness, difliculty of changing the lter element and lack of reliable securing connection with the attachment and the mouthpiece are Probably the major factors explaining their lack of success.

The lter attachment of the present invention is constructed to avoid the objections just mentioned; and more particularly to provide a device which is reliable', yet simple in mechanical construction, of. neat appearance and adapted to be employed without annoyance to telephone users'. Further, the essential construction of the invention is such asto adapt it to embodiment in various forms for telephone transmitters of the different types now in general use.

The invention will be readily understood' by reference' to the embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawing' hereafter to be described.

In such drawings:

Fig. I is a front plan view of a lter attachment according* tov one form of the invention;

Fig. is an enlarged fragmentary elevation taken on linel IA-IA of Fig. l showing a detail of construction Fig. 2 isa side view', partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the attachment of Fig. 1 applied to a telephone transmitter;

Fig. 3f isr a View` corresponding to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of attachment' applied to a different type of telephone transmitter;

Fig. l isa similar View of still; another embodiment adapted to a third form- `of transmitter;

Fig. 5' is a similar View of still anotherI embodiment applied tofa fourth typeof transmitter; and,

Fig. 61 ifs a similar View of a modified construction according to the invention which dispenses with one ofi the' parts` required inA the other' embodiments. Y

The filter attachment ct the invention shown in Figs. 1, lA'. and 2Lis adapted for use with a telephone' transmitter having; a cap or mouthpiece Il):` with a tapering peripheral wall, arid includes an adapter Ilof annular form having its inner periphery shaped to conform to the inwardly and outwardly tapering wall portions of cap I`0.. En'- gageablewith adapter member I-I is an auxiliary cap I2 having a iront portion- I3A aperturedA in its central area for voice transmission and here taking the-form of an annulus. C'ap I2 is formed with a peripheral flange I4 tting the outer periphery of adapter member II. Internal threads on flange I4*l engage external threads on. adapter II so that auxiliary cap |12 may be easily screwed on and off the adapter.

To enable the adapter to be applied tot transmitter cap Ill. it is made in split form with the two sections hinged together at I5 by a hinge pin I6. After the adapter has been applied to `the transmitter cap. Illv the free ends of the cap are drawn together by a securing screw I1 which clamps the adapter rmly on the transmitter cap.

rihe outer annular portion I3 of auxiliary cap I2.. is formed. on its inner side to provide an annular seat for a filter disc I8 of paper, cloth, or other suitable material adapted to trap and chemically treated to `destroy germs which may be discharged from the mouth of a. telephone user incident to talking. The outer end ci adapter member II' forms a coacting seat for filter disc I8. By placing a filter disc in cap I2 and screwing it on adapter II the marginal portion of the disc is clamped between the coacting seats of the cap and adapter member and completely shields transmitter cap l0.

It is desirable to frequently change the filter disc as its useful' life is limited. ThisV is easily accomplished by unscrewing the cap I2' from the adapter, removing disc I8 and inserting a new one in theA cap and then screwing the cap again tightly on the adapter member. 1

The filter attachment of Fig. 3` isA designed to a telephone transmitter 2liv of the type having a hooded extension 2U and tapering side walls; Here adapter member 2l is formed with an angular extension 2|' to accommodate transmitter capl hood 2D', being shaped interiorly to conform to the contour thereof. As in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2` adapter member 2t will comprise hinged sections secured together by a hinge pin 2.61 and. provided with a screw 21 to draw the free ends of the section into clamping engagement with the hooded transmitter cap. Thev auxiliaryY cap' 22 of the attachment isv similar'to4 cap I2 and is screw threaded. on the an,- gular portions of adapter 21I .tov conformita the angle of transmitter caphood: 2-0. Filter disc 28 is clamped between cap 22 and the angular extension of adapter 2|.

The embodiment of Fig. 4 is designed for a telephone transmitter cap 30 having a straight instead of tapering side wall. Since the adapter member 3| can be slid on and oft' cap 30` the same may be made in the form of a continuous annulus instead of as hinged sections. The auxiliary cap 32 of the attachment is similar to those previously described and is provided with internal threads coactive with external threads on adapter 3|. Set screws 31 are threaded in adapter 3| to secure the same rigidly to transmitter cap 30. These are relatively short so as not to interfere with auxiliary cap 32 which coacts with the outer end of the adapter to clamp lter disc 38 in operative position.

The embodiment of Fig. is designed for use with a transmitter cap 40 having straight side Wall, as in the case of Fig. 4, but having a hooded extension 40 as in the case of Fig. 3. Adapter member 4| is provided with an angular extension 4|' to accommodate hood 40'. It diiers from adapter 2| in Fig. 3 in that it is made in one piece insteadv of as hinged sections. The auxiliary cap 42 is similar in construction to that in previous embodiments and is screw thereaded on the adapter member to clamp lter disc 48 in position at an angle conforming to transmitter cap hood 4D. Set screws 4l are provided to rigidly secure adapter member 4| to transmitter cap 49.

In the embodiment of Fig. 6 the lter attachment dispenses with an adapter member. This is accomplished through provision of a special telephone transmitter cap 50 which is internally threaded on the transmitter casing 59, as conventionally, and which is provided With external threads on its straight side Wall. Internally threaded auxiliary cap 52 can thus be screwed directly on transmitter cap 50, and filter disc 58 clamped at its periphery between the outer marginal portions of auxiliary cap 52 and transmitter cap 50. J

Since the telephone transmitter casings and caps comprise molded plastics it is desirable for uniformity of appearance that the filter cap of the attachment, likewise the adapter member employed in most embodiments, be molded of similar material. This may be hard rubber or numerous types of synthetic resins. It will be understood, however, that either or both the auxiliary cap and adapter member may be made of metal.

It will be evident that the invention provides an extremely satisfactory lter attachment for telephone transmitters which cannot be accidentally knocked oii, or caused to come apart, but which at the same time permits the iilter element to be quickly and easily replaced. Despite its rugged character the attachment is extremely compact and hardly noticeable to the telephone user.

I claim l. An attachment for a capped telephone transmitter casing comprising an auxiliary hollow cap, said auxiliary cap having an internally threaded, axially extending, continuous, annular, supporting ilange portion which is relatively broad in an axial direction and of sufiiciently larger internal diameter than a transmitter casing as to be adapted to rit over the outer perip'hery of the cap of a transmitter casing, and a centrally apertured, voice transmitting, end portion projecting radially inwardly from the outer end of the supporting flange portion and being formed on its under face with an annular seat, and a. replaceable filter disc within the auxiliary cap for protecting the telephone transmitter cap and having a marginal portion adapted to be removably engaged by the annular seat of the auxiliary cap.

2. A capped telephone transmitter attachment comprising an auxiliary cap having a centrally apertured, voice transmitting, end portion formed on'its under face with an annularsupporting seat, and an axially extending, internally threaded, supporting flange of greater internal diameter than a telephone transmitter cap and extending rearwardly from the end portion of the auxiliary cap, a continuous annular adapter member adapted to t over and embrace the outer peripheral wall of a telephone transmitter cap and externally threaded to engage the supporting flange of the auxiliary cap, and a replaceable lter disc housed in the auxiliary cap for covering a transmitter cap and clamped between the annular supporting seat of the auxiliary cap and one end of the adapter member.

3. A telephone transmitter attachment comprising an auxiliary cap having a voice-transmitting apertured central area, a surrounding portion forming on its inner side an annular supporting seat and an internally threaded peripheral cap securing ilange, an externally threaded hollow adapter member removably supporting the auxiliary cap and adapted to lit over a telephone transmitter cap, said adapter member comprising complementary sections hinged together at one side to be swung apart for application to a telephone transmitter cap, means carried by the adapter member for securing together the free ends of the adapter member sections to clamp the adapter on a telephone transmitter cap, and a replaceable filter disc housed in the auxiliary cap and clamped between the auxiliary cap and one end of the adapter member.

4. A telephone transmitter attachment comprising an auxiliary cap having a voice-transmitting apertured central area, a surrounding portion forming on its inner side an annular supporting seat and an internally threaded peripheral cap securing flange of greater internal diameter than the outer diameter of a telephone transmitter cap, an externally threaded hollow adapter member removably supportingv the auxiliary cap and having a tapering annular inner peripheral portion adapted to embrace a telephone transmitter cap having a tapering side wall, means carried by the adapter member for securing rigid engagement of the adapter member on a telephone transmitter cap having ay tapering side wall, and a replaceable iilter disc housed in the auxiliary cap for covering a telephone transmitter cap and clamped between the lauxiliary cap and one end of the adapter mem- 5. A telephone transmitter attachment comprising an auxiliary cap having a voice-transmitting apertured central area, a surrounding portion forming on its inner side an annular supporting seat and an internally threaded peripheral cap securing flange, and externally threaded hollow adapter member removably supporting the auxiliary' cap and having a tapering annular inner peripheral portion adapted to embrace a telephone transmitter cap having a tapering side wall, said adapter member comprising complementary sections hinged together at one side to be swung apart for application to a telephone transmitter cap, means carried by the adapter member for securing together the free ends of the adapter member sections to clamp the adapter on a telephone transmitter cap, and a replaceable iilter disc housed in the auxiliary cap and clamped between the auxiliary cap and one end of the adapter member.

6. A telephone transmitter attachment comprising an auxiliary cap having a voice-transmitting apertured central area, a surrounding portion forming on its inner side an annular supporting seat and an internally threaded annular peri pheral ange of greater internal diameter than the outer diameter of a telephone transmitter cap, an externally threaded adapter member including a continuous annular portion adapted to t over a telephone transmitter cap and removably supporting the auxiliary cap, and a replaceable lter disc in the auxiliary cap clamped between the cap and one end of the adapter member.

7. A telephone transmitter attachment comprising an auxiliary cap having a voice-trans mitting apertured central area, a surrounding portion forming on its inner side an annular sup* porting seat and an internally threaded annular peripheral flange, an externally threaded adapter member tting a telephone transmitter cap having a projecting hood and comprising an annular portion adapted to embrace a telephone cap and an angular hollow extension adapted to embrace the transmitter hood, external threads on the adapter member angular extension for removably securing the auxiliary cap, and a filter disc in the auxiliary cap clamped between the cap and the angular extension of the ladapter member.

8. An attachment for a telephone transmitter comprising a main transmitter cap having an apertured central area and a surrounding portion forming on its outer side an annular supporting seat, said cap having external threads around its outer periphery, an auxiliary outer cap having an apertured central area, a surrounding portion forming on its inner side an annular supporting seat and an internally threaded peripheral flange having an internal diameter substantially the same at the outer diameter of the main transmitter cap removably threaded on the transmitter cap, and a lter disc in the auxiliary cap clamped around its margin between the auxiliary cap and the main cap.

ROY L. LEWIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 777,607 Cruickshank Dec. 13, 1904 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 336,177 Great Britian Oct. 9, 1930 

